Dastaan Jo Likhun

Ch 36.1. Dueling Dowels - PART I

___________ Context __________

I have used images to aid in storytelling, so please read through the texts to get the subtext and play the bgm attached when prompted to get the full experience.

Note: Distributed the chapter into multiple parts for better reading experience.

##########################################################################

Date - 23-09-2001, Wednesday

Time: 5:01 pm

[5 days after, Dandiya Mahotsav - Day 4]

Composition of a human face.

Unmasked,

Revelations of expressions,

Showing off your identity... with...

A healthy head of hair. 

Styled to perfection because my God has someone been a little too excited to exploit their briefly found freedom. Guess who ?

"Abhi !?" 

Manjari was astounded at the state of her son, who had, on his own volition, chosen to style his hair with one simple lock cascading onto his forehead... just like his 'not so secret anymore' admirer had mentioned in one of her notes... which he revised like his life depended on it.

Abhimanyu checked his reflection as he combed the sides of his head to stick back in a dashing state, "thik lagraha hun na ?," he asked with a brief uncertainty, as he made eye contact with his mother... who blinked at his hair and then his freshly cleaned face and gave his entire body a once over.

"Mujhe to pata hi nahi tha," she replied with a dramatic gasp, "ki mera beta itna zada handsome hai," making a show of turning him around and checking his pink and black Kediya and Dhoti ensemble. 

He was wearing pink... pink! 

A color he rareeely chose to look upon... much less wear.

"Sachme ?," he sighed in relief, checking his kurta strings in the mirror before turning around to his mother with a twinkle in his eyes... "Sachme," she replied, smiling at his excitement, assuming it to be because of the break and not something else... because that was how much of a recluse he was.

"Par tere baal aaj bhi kaise kar rakhhe hai ?," she almost reached out to settle the lock he so meticulously assigned... "Maa please!," but he stopped her and moved away in haste.

"Kya please ?," she tried again but he moved aside and dodged her, "Nahi karo na!"... but she tried again... while he skipped beyond her reach, "... idhar aa na!," almost grazing his ear.

Two dainty ears.

Adorned with long yet light dangly earrings... almost matching the mix and match outfits... yet differentiated only by the ornaments.

"sss," the one in pink, her comfort color, exclaimed as her prickly thick earring refused to comply and re-enter her pierced flesh.

"Dikha," the one in black and orange hissed as she chose to examine the reddened tip of her sister's ear, "balm dun ?"